20 candidates for 6A offensive player of the year in Oregon high school football

Three Rivers QBs Nolan Keeney (Tualatin) and Baird Gilroy (West Linn) are among the early leaders in the race for 6A's top offensive award

Could a PIL player win the state's 6A offensive player of the year award? Franklin receiver Cash Landau certainly has a chance to be in the running. / Photo by Dan Brood

Who will be the 2024 offensive player of the year in 6A Oregon high school football? Here are 20 of the top candidates on our preseason watch list. 

200 PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2024

6A OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR CANDIDATES

RB Wyatt Andler, Wells, senior 

Andler is the focal point of the Guardians’ power running game, rushing for 1,070 yards and 19 touchdowns last season in earning co-PIL offensive player of the year honors.

WR Luke Baker, Clackamas, senior

Baker can do a little of everything in the Cavaliers offense, but with 39 catches for 331 yards as a junior, his biggest value is on the perimeter.

RB LaMarcus Bell, Lake Oswego, junior

We’ve seen what Lakers coach Steve Coury can do with an outstanding running back (see Casey Filkins in 2018-19).

QB Trey Cleeland, Jesuit, senior

Normally, you’d look at whoever is Jesuit’s lead back, but in Cleeland, the Crusaders have someone who could be a special talent. He took over the starting job early last season and overcame some growing pains, and the UC Davis commit finished strong (1,427 yards, 15 touchdowns).

QB Avirey Durdahl, Nelson, senior

Since becoming the Hawks’ starter midway through his freshman season, Durdahl has steadily improved his game as the program has progressed from newcomer to state quarterfinalist.

QB Baird Gilroy, West Linn, senior

Gilroy had plenty of pressure on him last season, when he took over for Sam Leavitt (about to become the starter at Arizona State) behind center for the Lions, and he delivered a fabulous season. We expect another one from him this year.

QB Traeger Healy, North Medford, junior

Healy is the top returning quarterback in the South Central Football Conference, throwing for 1,796 yards and 17 touchdowns last year and completing almost 71% of his passes. 

RB Jordan Hicks, Mountainside, junior

Hicks won the Metro League rushing title as a sophomore (1,325 yards, 16 touchdowns), and he and classmate Sam Vyhlidal will form a potent 1-2 backfield punch again this season. 

RB Kenya Johnson, Sprague, senior

Johnson established himself as one of the South Central Football Conference’s top running backs last year, when he rushed for 1,047 yards and 15 touchdowns. 

QB Nolan Keeney, Tualatin, senior

Watching the BYU commit have to miss the second half of last year’s 6A state final after reinjuring his shoulder was one of the great regrets of the season. He could have a season for the ages.

WR Landon Kelsey, Central Catholic, senior

The Eastern Washington commit is the defending champion’s big-play threat on the outside — he averaged 23 yards per catch with 10 touchdowns last season. 

WR Cash Landau, Franklin, senior

Landau might be the PIL’s biggest recruit since Damir Collins at Jefferson four years ago. The University of Idaho commit is ranked No. 15 in the state by 247Sports after catching 51 passes for 829 yards and 15 touchdowns last season.

QB Robbie Long, Central Catholic, junior

The winner of a three-way preseason battle to replace Cru Newman behind center showed why he earned the job during the Rams’ Week 0 victory against Leilehua, Hawaii — he was 17 of 24 for 213 yards and three touchdowns and committed no turnovers. 

RB Ansu Sanoe, Lakeridge, junior

The University of Washington commit made the 6A all-state second team last year with a team-high 661 rushing yards and eight touchdowns despite missing the last three games because of a high ankle sprain suffered early in Week 8.

WR Zhaiel Smith, Tualatin, senior

A midseason ankle injury cost Smith three games last season, when he ended up catching just 20 passes for 297 yards for Central Catholic before transferring to Tualatin for his senior year.

WR Braxton Singleton, North Salem, junior

Singleton tapped into his potential last season in the Vikings’ wing-T, averaging nearly 29 yards per catch and scoring five touchdowns in making the all-South Central Football Conference second team.

QB Kane Sullivan, McMinnville, senior

Sullivan is the top returning signal-caller in the Pacific Conference after amassing 1,712 yards of total offense and accounting for 21 touchdowns in 2023.

RB Mana Tuioti, Sheldon, senior 

Tuioti, a first-team all-South Central Football Conference pick on offense last year (296 rushing yards, six touchdowns), figures to take on an even bigger role in the Irish attack this season.

WR Danny Wideman, West Linn, senior

In the Lions’ crowded wide receiver room, the University of Oregon baseball commit led the way with 60 catches for 943 yards and 12 touchdowns last season.

WR Evan Wusstig, West Salem, junior

He’ll have to adjust to a new quarterback, but as a sophomore, Wusstig garnered 6A all-state honorable mention at receiver (19 catches for 481 yards and seven touchdowns).

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